THE TOWER OF LONDON.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 1892, 26 January 1875, Page 2

THE TOWER OF LONDON.

The Graphic says,«-"Ev«ry one will be glad to hear that there is a movement afoot for throwing open the Tower of London, with its collection of antiquities and curiosities, to the public, free of "" charge. This is an excellent project, and, if carried out, will be an undoubted boon to the British public. As a school of English: history from a Very early period, the Tower and its surroundings and associations have & very high value.' When it is remembered that all fees for visitors to Westminster Abbey on Mondays have been abolished; that the British Museum, the National Gallery, and the collection a b South Keii^ington are opened on certain days gratuitously, it seems strange that a similar^ course has not long ago been adopted at that fortress so rich in historical reminiscence and so valuable in educational resource. It has been so clearly demonstrated that the British public knows^Jiow to behave it»lf, and that no harm has Xibeen done to Jfiie collections already enumerated, that.tfyerte seems every reason to that- the Consiable of the Totter, would feel justified in adding his; matchless ' exhibition to the. list of A free shows fop the people. It would] he ss w«ll» perhaps, at the same time f#> aliow a little more liberty for the pTjbftc to wander within the walls of the fortress'itself and about its pleasant garden s. jjfo our closely populated, over-built city, frae from access to the gardens surroundio^ the Tower ditch would be a great \boon. At present they are only i|scd by a few privileged people whto have a key. It would seem that theses people do not value their privilege very aighly, for even on a hot summer Sunday\ afternoon you will find these gird ens but.scantily populated. There are,people still living who remember.that the Tower ufced to be quite a resort for the citizens a\ud their families on Sunday afternoons* bikt thevd is no chance of such being the tsaseViu tlia present day. Ever since tLp commencement of the Crimean War the circiLiltion of the. public within the fortress—unless in charge of a beef-eater—has beenlmore and more rigorously tabooed. It is ko bo hoped the movement alluded to willbb-ing about some alteration that will tend touhe general public becoming more and more familiar with the most interesting bit \of Old London now remaining, ... . \